|
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Teena Marie Is Back, May 24, 2004
Teena Marie hits the scenes again. After more than ten years since her last release and after 25 years since her debut on the scene, one of the first Blue Eyed, White souls comes again at us. I am still surprised by how ghetto and hip Teena is. She is so wild and gangsta-like but at the same time lady and respectful like. The 48 year old has not made hardly any noise in the last decade or so but coming back has been hot. Before Pink, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake and some of our other soulful singers came on the scene for the current generation, Teena was the White lady holding it down like no other with soul. I am not familiar with much of her older music just because I am so young but I have heard my Mother listening to and kinda fawning over her. Maybe due to radio's heavy rotation of the song here in Chicago as well as just something about her compelling me to buy the CD, I decided to cop this CD.LA DONA- One of the best and most meaningful intros about Teena returning to the scenes to reclaim her throne or her place in music. The inclusion of her daughter is real special and hot. STILL IN LOVE- First single off the effort which has made some noise at radio and on the charts in the top 30 of the R&B Charts, this was not a song I really felt at first just because her vocals sound kinda tired here and it sounds too too old school for me. But after radio unrelentingly playing the cut, I was hooked more. Produced by Teena and Mannie Fresh, the song is pretty good as many people already know. A- HONEY CALL- Produced by Teena Marie and Pamela Williams, this neo-jazzy but also R&B song talks about that "honey call" is a nice song that reminds me of the few Teena cuts I have heard played. The song is old-school but fresh and new at the same time. Probably one of the best cuts. It is a mid-tempo by the way. A BABY I'M yOUR FIEND- Produced by Teena Marie and James Allen, this is another hot track slowed down a little more than the former cut. It is one of the better tracks with its jazzy element to it. It is more jazzy than many of the others but also newer sounding. Teena's voice fits this music pretty well and it is just refreshing to hear this unstructured, unpolished kinda R&B songs. It talks about feenin' for someone. A MY BODY'S HUNGRY- Produced by Teena and Doug Grisby, this song where the title says it all is Quiet Storm, slow, simmering track is another signature (my opinion of signature) Teena song. It reminds me of that late night vibe and it is pretty hot. The song is just that laidback, making love kinda tune. A A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME- I think this is the 2nd single off the CD, featuring Gerald Levert and produced by Teena and James Allen, this cut is pretty good. It has that old mixed with the new kinda vibe to it again. Gearald and Teena mix well especially at the climax. This is a nice radio-friendly cut. If they played STILL IN LOVE, they can play this as well. This song is pretty hot. A OFF THE CHAIN- Featuring Baby "Birdman" and produced by Teena, Doug Grisby and Mooks, although this song has Baby on it and has the title about things being off da chain which means hot, the song still is Teena. Maybe some of the lyrics do sound a little different than what to expect from someone her age but Teena sounds pretty good doing it. The song is a little too weird for me. The chorus is strange and the verses are as well. It is not really matched to Teena's vocals as well. There is nothing really hot about the song except for Baby's rap. B MAKAVELLI NEVER LIED- Produced by Teena and James Allen, this song which talks about Tupac's alter ego I think is pretty hot. It is a slower jam with a little beat to it that talks about authentic people never lying and is just a song that provokes thought. Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan and Jesus Christ are mentioned as never lying. A RECYCLE HATE TO LOVE- This is the first song that sounds like something FULLY modern or newer because most of the cuts have that old-school or jazzy vibe to it but this one which fits Teena's vocals well featuring Lady Levi, Alia Rose and produced by Teena Marie and Doug Grisby, the song is thought-provoking about recycling hate and changing it to love. The song is hot but I dont know how much Lady Levi adds to this Reggae and also Latin-like song. Teena's high vocals fit this song well. A THE MACKIN' GAME- Feautring M.C. Lyte and Medusa and produced by Teena, James Allen and Doug Grisby, this cut which looks at the macking game sounds hot. It can even and should be considered as a single. This is another song that sounds modern but also has Teena being herself. The raps are good on this song and it is just a hot track. Probably one of the best cuts. A+ I LOVE HIM TOO- Featuring De De O'Neal who I have never heard of before and produced by Teena and Doug Grisby, I get confused by the two because they kinda sound alike. This Quiet Storm, slow groove is Teena back into her element or what I would assume is hers because of how most of the songs sound. This cut really goes nowhere but it does set it down straight about loving whoever both of them. A- I GOT yOU- Produced by Teena and Doug Grisby and featuring Teena's longtime musical companion, this song is a nice mix of the old and the new with its older sounding element but I also like the singy songy chorus and add-in of the background vocals. It talks about just simply having someone. A HIT ME WHERE I LIVE- Produced by Teena, Doug Grisby and James Allen, this cut is a little faster paces jazz cut is pretty good. It is fresh and pretty hot. Teena sounds good singing this. A- HIGH YELLOW GIRL- Featuring her daughter Alia Rose and produced by Teena and James Allen, this is a tribute to her daughter. Her daughter sounds good here. The only problem is that they stress her high yellow, "mellow yellow' skin complexion saying that entirely too much but it is a good track nonetheless with its jazzy kinda bluesy vibe to it. A- BLACK RAIN- Produced by James Allen, this jazzy song which talks about black rain is really nothing special to me. It is maybe the weakest track just because I am not used to this kinda music. B- I'M ON FIRE- A good close-out tune about Teena being on fire and for the most part, she pretty much is. It is just the music and Teena's voice. Produced by Teena and Doug Grisby, it kinda makes one wish that Teena would have done more songs like this where it is just her voice and the music. It is a nice tune. Music and voice. A Overall, the CD is pretty good. Teena does talk alot at the beginning of the songs and you can tell that this lady is urban, she is hip. The CD does not sound as Hip-Hoppish as some people try to make it. Save a couple tracks, it sounds like something Teena could have done in the 80s. The production is not so polished and structured and traditional as most other R&B songs or music for that matter. I wondered how that would sound but because I am not used to it, I did not really feel it. However, Teena has introduced me to a kinda music that I have never heard before and probably would not hear for a while. It is a CD that I listen to just because I like Teena but the music I am not really used to. Teena does not try to sound young or stay young in any way so the older fans and even younger people can feel it. Teena's vocals are still pretty fresh and hot. Her high soprano fits many of the songs well. It is only the vibrato and some of the sharp higher notes that are weak or makes her sound older or off but other than that, she is still on-point with her vocals.
|
by Teena Marie 
